IPSWICH: A woman who was pulled from an Ipswich river in a dramatic rescue has died in hospital, police have today confirmed.

The 66-year-old was plucked from the water by firefighters after a member of the public reported seeing a body floating face down. Emergency services were called to the River Gipping, close to the junction of Handford Road and London Road, at 5.15pm on October 19.

The woman, who had no pulse or heartbeat when emergency services first pulled her from the river, was taken to Ipswich Hospital where she remained in critical condition for a number of days.

Police, firefighters and paramedics joined forces in their fight to keep the woman alive.

Ambulance staff were locked in a 15-minute battle to resuscitate her.

A spokesman for Suffolk police said: “The death is being treated as unexplained however there are not thought to be any suspicious circumstances.”

Critical care paramedic Jason Gillingham, who helped to revive the woman, told The Evening Star shortly after the incident: “We were determined not to give up on her. It was a fantastic team effort and everybody played a role from the ambulance service, to the firefighters and police.”

Police have renewned their appeal for witnesses. The woman was wearing a brown and green jacket with a fur-lined hood, blue trousers and white shoes.

Anyone who saw a woman in the area matching the description is asked to call Ipswich CID on 101.

n Would you like to pay tribute to the woman? Contact the news desk on 01473 324788 or send an e-mail to starnews@eveningstar.co.uk